VISION AND DEVELOPMENT AT UMRI

ORIGINATING COMPASSION. Umri Christian Hospital and its related onsite educational and outreach institutions are the stuff of an evolving vision. Christian compassion opened a place of care and healing on these 25 acres over a generation ago. The spirit of compassion--ebbing and flowing over the decades--has brought complementary additions to the core hospital service. Today an entire campus of healing, education, and service pulses with that originating vision.

UCH...A CENTER OF CARE. Umri Christian Hospital offers free professional medical care to thousands of villagers in this central India region. Drs. John and Jennifer Pratap have been busy all weekend with patients-- responding to emergencies, delivering a baby on Sunday morning, and attending to patients for whom medical care would otherwise be available only far away. The medical staff sees many people with tuberculosis and complications related to it. They treat folks with malaria and other preventable diseases. The outpatient clinic has been busy all day. Staff also attends to a growing number of HIV/AIDS cases, but without immediate access to medications that are readily available elsewhere. They work with short supplies and in less than optimum conditions. The buildings were built before 1920. We believe a new hospital facility will regenerate strength at the core of this campus and impact every related service.

HELEN ROSE SCHOOL OF NURSING. The Helen Rose School of Nursing was founded just a few years ago by Jacob and Esther Amirson--two compassionate, competent visionaries. It has grown exponentially, now enrolls 100 low-income students, and is recognized by Indian nursing educators. This award-winning nursing school works with students who cannot afford other nursing schools. It has a special outreach to young women who are victims of family trauma. Students learn at the hospital and serve in outreach in the surrounding communities.

BETHEL CHILDREN'S HOME/HOSTEL. More than 200 children live at Bethel Children's Home on the UCH campus. While some of these children are orphaned, many live here and go to public school in the community as very hopeful option for parents who cannot afford to feed, clothe, and care for them at home year-round. Supported by the modest monthly commitments of people who contribute to the International Childcare Ministries of the Free Methodist Church, these children are accessing education and care that offers a promising future for their lives.

YARDY ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL. An English Medium School education is an important resource for advancing well in higher education in India. At YES, also on the UCH campus, core education is taught in native languages as well as in English--a highly portable resource for future employment and service. We visited this school and talked with students--it is very impressive.

A CALL FOR PARTNERS. All of these organizations serve at a fraction of the cost of similar medical treatment and education in North America. Striking to us is the dedication of staff and leaders to their mission despite a very tight financial situation. We believe this heroic service deserves an investment in capital improvement as well as a growing base of intranational and international partners committed to ensuring ongoing, high-quality professional medical care in this very specific place of vision and Christian care. We hope you will, in one way or another, become one of those partners.